Display portfolios



Feb. 13, 1962 H. S. MEYERS DISPLAY PORTFOLIOS Filed March 20, 1959 O my,

FIG,

FIG. 6.

' INVENTOR; HAROLD S. MEYERS.

ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofifice 3,021,000 Patented Feb. 13, 1962 3,021,000 DISPLAY PORTFOLIOS Harold S. Meyers, Minneapolis, Minn., assiguor to Waldorf Paper Products Company, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Mar. 20, 1959, Ser. No. 800,850 1 Claim. (Cl. 206-44) This invention relates to an improvement in display portfolios and deals particularly with a display structure which may be folded to form a display easel or may be folded into a compact flat state.

Salesmen who are in the business of selling advertising calendars sometimes experience difficulty in properly displaying the calendars, particularly when the calendars are being displayed in the oflice of the customer. The calendars are usually of considerable size and can only be properly seen when hung upon a wall or draped upon an easel. It is possible to lay the calendars flat upon a table or desk but such a display does not provide the same effect as when the calendar is supported in an upright position. Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a compact portfolio which mav be used to contain the calendars in a folded condition while traveling from place to place and yet which may be unfolded in a manner to provide a supporting easel which may be erected upon a desk or table and which serves as an effective display for the calendars.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a portfolio including a tubular enclosure including a central panel, side wall flanges, and end flanges which may be folded into abutting relation to form a tubular body. Hingedly connected to an edge of the central panel is connected in sequence, an end flange, an easel panel, a second end flange, and an easel supporting panel. In folded condition. the easel panel and supporting panel are enclosed within the tubular structure previously described, the end wall flanges closing the ends of the portfolio or tubular body when the device is in folded form.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a structure of the type described which includes a central panel and end panels hingedly connected to opposite sides thereof which may be folded into substantially right angular relation or slightly converging relation to hold the central panel in a vertical position. The easel panel may be supported in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position by the supporting panel, the free edge of which is supported by the end panels.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the details of construction including means for holding the end panels in edge abutting relation to hold the portfolio closed when desired, and in the provision of interlocking means on the supporting panel and on the end panels to hold the easel panel at a predetermined angle with respect to the vertical.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a transverse panel of light weight paperboard or the like which is secured to extend across the easel panel near the upper end thereof and which is connected at its ends to the side edges of the easel panel. This transverse panel forms a band or pocket into which the back of a calendar may be inserted to support a series of calendars in superimposed relation.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claim.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the display portfolio in position to serve as a display.

FIGURE 2 is a rear perspective view of the structure shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the portfolio in closed position.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view through a portion of the easel panel showing the pocket forming panel secured thereto.

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the display portfolio is formed.

FIGURE 6 is a rear elevational view of a series of calendars secured along their upper edges in superimposed relation for display purposes.

The portfolio is formed of the blank illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings. As indicated in this figure, the portfolio includes a generally rectangular central panel 10 which is foldably connected along opposite edges by fold lines 11 and 12 to side wall flanges 13 and 14 respectively. The side wall flanges 13 and 14 are foldably connected along parallel fold lines 15 and 16 to end flanges 17 and 19 respectively, The combined width of the end panels 17 and 19 is substantially equal to the width of the central panel 10 so that these end panels may be folded into edge abutting relation to form a tubular body.

The central panel 10 is connected along its upper edge by a fold line 20 to an end flange 21. The end flange 21 is connected along a fold line 22. to an easel panel 23. The easel panel 23 is connected along a fold line 24 to an end flange 25. The end flange 25 is foldably connected along a fold line 26 to a supporting panel 27. The fold lines 20, 22, 24 and 26 are parallel and at right angles to the first described fold line.

Notches 29 are provided in the upper edges of the end panels 17 and 19 near the free ends thereof. Cooperable notches 30 are provided in the free end of the supporting panel 27.

A pocket forming panel 31 extends across the easel panel 23 near the upper extremity thereof in display position and is stitched or otherwise secured as indicated at 32 to the edges of the easel panel. The panel 31 may ottherwise be free of connection with the easel panel.

In FIGURE 6 of the drawings, I diagrammatically illustrate a series of calendars 33 which may be centrally folded as indicated at 34 and which are connected along their upper edges in superimposed relation as indicated at 35. Also connected by the stitching 35 is a tongue 36 of relatively stiff paperboard or the like which is of proper length for insertion between the panel 31 and the easel panel 23. When thus engaged, the calendars are draped over the easel panel 23 and the central panel 10. Each calendar may in turn be folded up over the upper edge of the easel panel so that the various calendars may be successively displayed.

A flexible strap 37 of leather, plastic, fabric or the like is pivotally secured to one end panel such as the end panel 19 and is provided with a snap fastener 40 which may detachably connect the strap 37 to the opposite end panel 17 as indicated in FIGURE 3. The rivet or grommet which may be used to connect the strap 37 to the panel 19 is indicated by the numeral 39.

When the portfolio is folded, the easel panel 23 and supporting panel 27 are folded into substantially parallel relation and the folded calendars are enclosed therebetween. The combined parallel panels 23 and 27 may be folded to overlie the central panel 10, the end wall flanges 21 and 25 forming enclosing walls. The side wall flanges 13 and 14 are next folded upwardly on opposite sides of the first folded panels and the end panels 17 and 19 are folded into end abutting relation as indicated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. These panels are connected in abutting relation by the connecting strap 37.

When the calendars are to be displayed, the end panels 17 and 19 are folded to expand rearwardly from the central panel, these end panels converging somewhat. The

easel panel is folded to extend upwardly from the central panel and the slots 30 on the end of the supporting panel 27 are interlocked into the slots 29 on the upper edges of the end panels 17 and 19 as indicated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings. The tongue 36 of the series of superimposed calendars is then inserted into the pocket formed by the panel 31 and the calendars are in readiness to be displayed.

In accordance wth the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my improvement in display portfolios, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that changes may be made Within the scope of the following claim without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

A display portfolio including a front panel, flanges of equal width foldably connected to opposite sides of said front panel, and end panels foldably connected to said flanges along fold lines parallel to those connecting said flanges to said front panel, said end panels being folded to extend rearwardly of said front panel in slightly converging relation, a connecting flange hinged to the upper edge of said front panel, an easel panel foldably connected to the upper edge of said connecting flange and extending upwardly ad rearwardly therefrom, a second connecting flange hinged to the upper edge of said easel panel, and a supporting panel hingedly connected to the edge of said second connecting flange along a fold line parallel to said upper edge of said easel panel and extending downwardly therefrom, the lower end of said supporting panel engaging the upper portions of said end panels, said easel panel and said supporting panel being of a width substantially equal to the width of the front panel, said connecting flanges being of a width not exceeding that of the first named flanges, whereby when said portfolio is folded into collapsed form, said easel panel and supporting panel may be folded into parallel relation overlying said front panel, said end panels may be folded to overlie said easel panel, and said connecting flanges may form closure walls between the edges of said front panel and said end panels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,083,461 Nielson Jan. 6, 1914 1,281,260 Anderson Oct. 15, 1918 1,301,797 Ziegler Apr. 22, 1919 1,320,933 Schoenfeld Nov. 4, 1919 1,497,519 Lewis June 10, 1924 1,677,146 Lobner July 17, 1928 1,949,913 Larkin Mar. 6, 1934 2,079,370 Durkin May 4, 1937 2,224,530 Weinstein Dec. 10, 1940 

